Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!

“Gwen & Art Are Not in Love” follows Gwen and Arthur who have been betrothed since they were born, but can’t stand each other. Arthur’s father tells him that he and Gwen are to be married soon and that he has to spend the summer in Camelot. As Gwen and Arthur are forced to spend time together, Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy while Arthur learns that Gwen has secret feelings for Bridget LeClair, the only female knight in the kingdom. When the pair learns of each other’s secret, they agree to become allies.

I adored this book! I love retellings of Arthurian legend, so reading one with an LGBTQ+ twist was right up my alley and such an enjoyable experience. One of my favorite things about this book was the banter and how the characters interacted with each other. I loved all of these characters with my whole heart, but Sidney might just be my favorite. I enjoyed seeing Gwen and Arthur’s friendship develop throughout the book. I also loved seeing Gwen grow as a character as the book progressed. It made me so happy to see her go from being timid and unsure of herself to strong and confident by the end. This was my first book by Lex, but I’m definitely interested in checking out more of their work.

“To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose.”

As someone who has seen A Knight’s Tale dozens of times and chronically rereads Heartstopper - not to mention watching Merlin purely for the gay subtext - GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE feels like it was made specifically for me. It’s a queer-as-fuck YA historical romance rooted in Aurthurian legend with comedic modern feel. The cast of characters is a delight: uptight and smart Gwen, snarky and rebellious Art, brash and butch Bridget, bookish and steadfast Gabriel - and of course Sidney and Agnes. There’s a delightful enemies/betrothed-to-friends arc, a homoerotic “let me teach you sword fighting” scene, loads of witty banter, mlm and wlw solidarity, an uncovering of queer ancestors, and a burgeoning sense of self in all of the leads. Plus a very mischievous cat! An absolute romp. Thanks to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the review copies; this book is out 11/28.

Content warnings: violence, injury, war, death of a parent, homophobia, sexism, child abuse, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts

I have read this titled and also listened to the audiobook. I absolutely adore it in both ways of consuming the story. I love the queerness of the story and I devoured it completely. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to see a queer story set in the past.

OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK AND IT BROKE MY HEART IN THE BEST WAY. Lex Croucher I don’t know how you manage to make every single book so freaking relatable and real, but it was incredible.

I feel bad that half the reason I was not in love with this was mostly due to thinking it was a retelling when it really clearly is not. It just is a book about two characters living in Camelot that just HAPPENED to have the same names.

Not exactly a King Arthur or Camelot retelling, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is basically a more fun Hallmarky loosely based adaptation.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a queer medieval romcom about love, friendship, and being brave. King Arthur did exist in this universe centuries ago. The story is told from his descendant's perspective. Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is full of sword-fighting, found family, and all the shenanigans.


Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a review copy.

4.5 Stars
Long story short, I had such a great time with this book and any of my major complaints are related to my own (wrong) preconceived notions of the book. I’ll go over my personal issues just in case you happen to have any of these same notions. My main beef was that I thought this was going to be a more direct Arthurian legend retelling with the main characters falling into more traditional stereotypes of characters from the original legends. I did actually enjoy the actual direction of the book better where the characters just share some name similarities to the legends and live in a world where King Arthur is part of their history. This misunderstanding worsened my other major complaint about the book: the character development wasn't immediately as strong as I wanted it to be. I was trying to fill the gaps in early character development with traits from their namesake characters in the Arthurian legend and that DID NOT work well.
I am a big-time character reader and by the end I loved all of the characters. I think they each were able to be developed and have their personalities shine through, but I will not lie some parts certain characters were a bit insufferable. They were insufferable because of their own personal demons and their insufferable-ness was part of their character arc so it was ultimately for the good of the plot but mildly frustrating to read.
I personally enjoyed each character being in different stages of accepting their queerness and having to work through their personal demons to find love and joy. At the end of the day, this book is a fun medieval romp through shenanigans, tomfoolery, and finding oneself.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Gwen & Art Are Not in Love on November 28, 2023.

I loved this! The relationships, banter, and romances were absolutely delightful. Gwen and Art were such dynamic, relatable characters, and it was so sweet to watch their friendship unfold. Both of them grew so much throughout the story, as individuals and as leaders.

The ending took me completely by surprise but in the best way. I didn't expect the stakes to get so high or emotional, but it added so much to the story! This book is silly and full of whimsical romance for sure, but it also tackles tons of underlying issues and the realities of war!

If you're looking for medieval queer love stories full of laughs and tears, this one's for you!

I loved ‘Gwen & Art’ so much. Croucher’s character work and dialogue truly make the book. Gwen especially felt so real to me and I found myself relating to her on so many occasions. I loved how we begin with a cheeky introspective romcom and end with a dive into Arthurian-Catholic politics that wraps up so nicely, and the depiction of queer characters in a medieval setting was so well-done while not being too heavy and angsty for a YA novel. I would read a dozen more additions to this world. My main critique is that Lady Bridget Leclair felt extremely underwritten to me compared to other characters.

- for watchers of bbc merlin.
- lesbians with swords
- lesbians with swords
- an fmc that reminds me of the song ‘king’ by florence and the machine
- MUCH banter
- unapologetically queer
- very relatable internalized homophobia that is resolved with kind talks amongst fellow queer people
- many ill-tempered animals
- fantastic ending

the relationships between all the characters was so fun to read about. the story and growth, and everyone’s dynamic was enjoyable and entertaining. it also had its moments of seriousness that brought it back down.

This book is everything I never knew I needed. A queer spin on Arthurian legend that was an absolute delight. The characters were so well written and incredibly easy to love and relate to. The banter between Gwen and Art had me laughing out loud and reminded me so much of friendships in my own life.
I have a feeling this will be a new comfort read for me.
Easy 5 stars!

DNF @ 18%

I really wanted to love this. A queer medieval rom com sounds right up my alley. It just didn't feel medieval at all. The way the characters spoke and interacted with each other was really modern. And there wasn't really anything to establish the setting being in the past. It kinda felt like the whole reason for it being historical was to add in a reasoning for an arranged marriage.

this was really cute! i really liked the concept upon first hearing about it but wasn't sure how well it would land for me since i'm not typically a romcom person, but this was a really pleasant surprise. if you like late 90s/early 2000s teen romcoms, dungeons and dragons, and/or royal family dramas, this is probably going to work for you. i really enjoyed the Arthurian mythos being used as a backdrop for the book's central conflict, it feels really approachable even if you don't know the stories well. characters were great, they felt flawed and real and were also very diverse. the romance element was also balanced really well with the plot, and the pacing was done well and the stakes felt realistic. overall, just a really sweet queer coming-of-age story with a ton of heart. i read it in a day and had a lot of fun.

arc provided by St. Martin's and Wednesday Press in exchange for an honest review

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is an medieval retelling that kept my interest! Told from both Arthur and Gwen's points of views, both need to fake their relationship and snap their enemy mindsets in order to please family "marriage" wants. Truth be told, Art and Gwen are in love with those that society would scorn, Gwen in love with a woman and Art with a male. Art and Gwen cannot be in love with one another. But for how long will society trust their ruse?

While there were multiple characters on page that were hard to keep straight while reading, I enjoyed Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. This young adult novel had appropriate chapter lengths and hilarious one liners that kept me flipping the pages. I recommend this novel to fans of King Arthur tales and other Lex Croucher novels!

I have two main feelings about this book: an overwhelming nostalgia for A Knight’s Tale (I need to rewatch this movie) and a nascent awareness that “X but like RWRB” has somehow become a sub-genre descriptor. It’s almost as effective as an AU tag to describe the vibe of a book: if you get it, you get it, and at this point it’s a taxonomy tool and not an assessment. So what you have here is not!Arthuriana but make it a frothy milkshake a la Casey McQuinston, delivered with tongue in cheek modern sensibilities. The character drama gets a bit tedious in some places, cute in others, lots of beats common to YA queer romances. It was definitely a good break between some gut-wrenching books I’ e been reading recently.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc of this novel.

The banter! The relationships! The hope! Read this and you won't be disappointed 💓. The plot is easy to follow and the world is fun. Each character is struggling in their own way and watching them grow and figure things out is enjoyable. This book is cute and everyone should read it.

4.75 stars

Gwen has been betrothed to Art since she was born and her parents the King and Queen have finally decided it is time for them to advance to marriage. They invite Art to spend the summer at court so they may get to know each other. The problem is they hate each other, Art thinks Gwen is tremendously dull and boring, and Gwen thinks Art is annoying and can't take anything seriously. They both find out secrets about the other, and it leads to them agreeing to be cordial and pretend they get on. They actually find themselves becoming genuine friends and supporting the other in their endeavours in love.

Whatever genre this book is I want more of it. It is everything I want and love in life all in one perfect book. The characters are all amazing, the writing was so wonderful. The relationships between the characters were so well done, the banter was top tier, the rep was chefs kiss. There was action, love, humour, tragedy, and everything in between.

While predictable, I really loved the story here. It was enjoyable and witty. The secondary characters felt a little one dimensional but Gwen and Art made up for that.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
*This review should be spoiler free*

Themes: Love, family and friendship, has themes from Arthurian legends
Representation: Queer MCs and LIs
Content Warnings: Violence, homophobia, drinking

Premise (from synopsis): Gwen and Arthur have been betrothed since birth, but they detest each other. But after Gwen sees Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur finds out that she has a crush on Knight Leclair, they decide to “pretend to be in love” to help each other. Perhaps they’ll become friends. And find love (but not with each other).

NOTE: Before you read this book or review, you need to know that this book is NOT a retelling, but rather a book that is set in the Arthurian universe, with references to the original fable. Take it how you will.
Characters

I absolutely adored all of the characters. The main characters. The side characters. And their relationships.

First, we have the two main characters: Gwen and Arthur. They are interesting and snarky protagonists. I enjoyed their quip and banter. I loved how they loathed each other at first but grew to become “reluctant allies,” while keeping their banter. Although at first Gwen and Arthur may just seem like “comic-duo-type” main characters at the beginning of the book, they are so much more than that. I loved how the author added depth to their characters while still making them likeable.

Gwen becomes braver. At first, she seems stuck-up, timid, and scared. She judges too quickly and seems like a coward. But she grows, learns that things might not be as she believed them to be, and becomes braver. And Arthur learns to take things more seriously. At first, he seems to like partaking in scandalous things, having fun without care, and drinking a lot. But he, too, grows and learns that even if you’ve faced troubles in the past, it does not mean that they will follow you in the future. Overall, the two main characters have incredible growth and a wonderful friendship throughout the book.

Next, we have the side characters: Bridget, Sidney, Gabriel, and Agnes. Bridget is the only female knight and she is an ABSOLUTE BADASS. She stands up for herself despite the sexism that comes with being the only female night. Sidney is Arthur’s best friend and he is absolutely hilarious. He is kind of a mess, but I love him. As for Agnes, she is Gwen’s lady-in-waiting. She is absolutely sweet and she’s a surprisingly good friend. Finally, Gabriel is Gwen’s brother and best friend. And poor Gabriel, he has a lot on his shoulders. And he tends to make decisions based on the pressures he faces. But don’t worry, he grows too.

As for Gwen and Art’s interactions with their love interests? They have lots of chemistry. I loved that this book has an F/F and M/M romance at the centre, with an F/M side-pairing. I, myself, love representation in romances! Especially YA romances. Anyhow, both Gwen and Art have amazing chemistry with their love interests. I also liked how the author wrote the romantic relationships quite realistically, even if it might’ve been in a medieval setting. Because romance isn’t perfect, you aren’t just going to fall for someone, pin after them, and live happily ever after. Because even if you want someone, there are sure to be lots of “roadblocks” along the way.

Finally, as for the other characters like Gwen’s parents and Arthur’s parents. Although they definitely don’t get as much screen time as the other six characters, I still appreciated their presence, as frustrating as they could be at times. I liked how the parents’ presence (and other characters) provided conflict and development for our main characters. And how they represented a differing perspective on things, even though some of them just wanted what was best for their kids/kingdom/whatever.

Overall, solid characters.

Rating: 4.9/5

Plot

I’d say that this book is more character heavy, but the plot still plays an essential role in the book.

It follows the typical story structure. So without further ado, and without spoiling anything, here are my comments…

Exposition: Appreciated the exposition. Get to know the characters, their problems, the side characters, the parents, the kingdom, the world, etc., etc. Introduced the characters and world in a nice, organic way that didn’t feel too “forced.”

Rising action: lots of antics and action! Lots of banter, adventures, misadventures, and character development. Was dynamic and fluid, and though there were some slow moments, the book picked back up and failed to feel flat and dull!

Climax: Was definitely unexpected. Caught me off guard. And added a lot of action to the story.

Falling Action: Had its fair amount of action. Occurred a little bit quickly though.

Denouement: Wrapped things out nicely. Not much of a connection between the falling action and the climax. Felt slightly “incomplete.”

Rating: 4/5

Style

Before going into any themes and whatnot, I have to say, I loved how the author wrote the book for themselves! (Check social media and the dedication.) That, in my humble opinion, feels pretty awesome. You can judge that however, you like.

Anyhow, in terms of tense and point-of-view, the book is written in the past tense, and third-person-point of view, alternating between Gwen and Arthur as the narrators, if you can do that. I personally don’t care too much about tense or point-of-view (unless it’s a second person or future tense because you don’t see this a lot in books), so you can decide what you think of that.

From a more objective standpoint, I think that the tense and point-of-view suits the book. Most books are written in past tense, and despite it being YA, this book is written in a fantasy setting; a lot of fantasy books are written in the third person due to world-building reasons.

Also, the author tends to use a lot of semicolons if you care about that—just something that I’ve noticed.

Anyhow, let’s get into the themes and stuff. Obviously, this book centres around love (hence the title), but also focuses a great deal on family and friendship.

For the theme of “love,” it’s explored in a nice, natural way. It also feels realistic and I appreciated the relationships between the MCs and LIS. I also liked that the book focused on friendship, as friends can be as important as romantic partners. I liked how the authors show how the characters support each other in friendship, and I felt like both the romantic relationships and friendships were quite healthy. Finally, in terms of family, you can mostly see that between Gwen and Gabriel’s relationship.

Other than the themes, I have two more things to say.

First, I liked how there was a lot of humour and banter in the book. If you appreciate humour in your books, then this book is for you, as it is filled with lots of funny banter and lines between the characters. I also think that humour can help with character development, especially with making the characters more likeable and more interesting. I personally found myself chuckling at the funny conversations that the characters had at times.

Second, this is NOT a retelling. I mentioned it at the beginning of the review. But if you were expecting a retelling, you might be slightly disappointed. HOWEVER, despite that, the story is set in an Arthurian world and has many, many, many references to Arthurian legend. To King Arthur, the sword, Morgana, Guinevere, etc. So take it how you will.

Thus, overall, great writing and explorations of the themes.

Rating: 4.5/5

Final Rating

Characters: 4.9/5
Plot: 4/5
Formatting: 4.5/5
Final Rating: 4.5/5 (round to 5 stars)
Personal Rating: 4/5

Date Read: August 6th, 2023
Date Reviewed: August 7th, 2023

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for providing an advanced free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What is better than a historical retelling? A queer historical retelling. Have you ever wanted to see Arthurian myths retold with a rainbow colored lens? Then this is the book for you.

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a cheeky queer romcom following two queer kids who find themselves stuck in an arranged marriage. It is full of found family, silly shenanigans, first love butterflies and more. It’s been marketed as a queer historical Heartstopper and it is an apt description! The characters were real and messy which made for an exciting romcom read. I don’t normally read YA books but this was a nice read to break up my book list!

Check it out for yourself when it is released November 28!